After reviewing every missing juvenile listed in the Texas Crime Information Center and National Crime Information Center databases, a multi-agency initiative of Texas law enforcement officers located more than 30 missing children.
In targeting crimes against vulnerable youth in the San Antonio, Texas area, Operation Lightning Bug, led by the U.S. Marshalls Service (USMS), focused their resources on locating missing juveniles at high risk for exploitation by traffickers and predators.
Critically missing children are defined by the USMS as those at heightened risk of violent crime or other elevated factors such as sexual exploitation, substance abuse, exposure to crime, or domestic violence.
In addition to the more than 30 missing juveniles located by officers, Operation Lightning Bug resulted in three arrests for harboring a runaway, nine felony arrest warrants executed, six trafficking survivors recovered and provided with victim services, five human trafficking investigations opened, and more than 120 missing juveniles encouraged to return home, resulting in cleared entries from state and national databases.
USMS officials added that the agency had worked in partnership with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) and members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force from July 28 through Aug. 15.
“Every suspect arrested, juvenile returned home, and survivor taken out of harm's way matters,” SAPD Chief William McManus said. “This operation demonstrates what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies unite to protect children.”
The task force used intelligence gathered to create operational plans that led to the recovery of numerous children and the disruption of human trafficking activity and included deputies from USMS offices in San Antonio, Del Rio, Midland, and Pecos as well as the SAPD’s Missing Persons Unit, Special Victims Unit, covert units, and Street Crimes Unit.
“Operation Lightning Bug highlighted the power of coordinated action between federal, state, and local partners to locate missing children, disrupt trafficking networks, and bring offenders to justice,” USMS officers said.
Earlier this year, more than 70 Texas law enforcement agencies joined forces throughout the month of April to combat the exploitation of children in the digital space.
The month-long collaborative enforcement effort was called Operation Soteria Shield and resulted in the rescue of 109 children and the arrest of 244 offenders, according to the FBI.